All The Kings Men
by javct
Summary: "Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call." ;;Clint&Natasha, one-shot;;


**Author's Note: I've seen The Avengers three times and it's still not enough! Seriously, that movie (and its cast) have taken over my life! I hope you, dear reader, like this story. I wrote it ages ago and put it on lj and tumblr (remembering-budapest is my name) but never put it on here, but here it is! :D**

**Disclaimer: Yes, I'm Joss Whedon and I own everything. This is why I'm writing fan fiction and not an actual movie :) That was a joke, to people who can't pick up internet sarcasm haha.**

**Summary: Agent Clint Barton was sent to kill Natasha before she did any more damage to the world. He made another call.**

******Read, review and enjoy! Reviews are as good as a Budapest movie!**

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"This is your new target," Coulson said to Clint Barton, handing him the manila folder.

"Target? When did I become a hit man?" Clint asked. As he flipped through the folder, he raised his eyebrows.

"Since we hired you," Coulson replied.

"Her?" Clint exclaimed. He had seen her before, everyone at SHIELD had. She was the most talked about criminal at SHIELD. One, because she was Russian, and two, because she had never been caught by anyone. The Black Widow they called her. "You want me to kill her?" Coulson nodded.

"Decretive Fury said, 'in any way possible' we're sending you off right away." He said, quoting his boss. SHIELD had been looking for Natasha Romanoff for months now and only now had they caught a whiff, quite by accident in fact. One of their agents had been stationed in London when they stumbled across her. Now, finally with a trace of her, Nick Fury and Phil Coulson had decided to send their best operative to finish the job that no one else could.

Clint placed the manila folder on the table. He already had it memorized. "So, where am I going?" When he heard where he was going, he groaned. Him and that city had history; history that he didn't want to remember. "Well, I'll suit up and get going." He hauled himself from the chair and walked down the hallway. Looking over his shoulder, Clint saw Coulson flicking through his Captain America Cards. It made him smile, seeing Coulson with his cards. Without another word, Clint went to the amoury to fetch his bow and arrows. He preferred to kill from a distance and his bow and arrows helped him do just that. As he was cleaning his quiver, he pondered on Natasha Romanoff. She certainly was attractive, there was no denying that and, he had heard that she held quite a kick. She had been on SHIELDS and the governments most wanted list for (if Clint recalled correctly) three and a half years now. He had seen her once, and only from a distance. He couldn't remember the exact surroundings, nor could he remember why he had seen her; all he remembered was the way she looked (Clint had always prided himself on having a photogenic memory). He could still remember how she had pursed her lips together and the way she always had one hand on her knife that was hidden behind a large black overcoat. Killing her wouldn't be easy, but he had to try.

One less criminal in the world he reminded himself, as he packed his arrows.

She should be at the café Monaco around ten, Coulson had told him. So, he waited. Clint always prided himself on being organized, and today was no different. He had set himself up on a building roof that had a clear shot of the café. This was just another ordinary job, he told himself, and it's no different. He had been crouching in that spot since eight that morning; it was now almost ten and he was starting to get bored. Yes, Clint was organized when it came to his job but he had never been this organized before. He, himself, didn't even know why he was so organized; maybe he just wanted the job to be over.

"I got her, Coulson," Clint said into the microphone, upon seeing her. Pulling his bow back, he aimed at her. Even from where he was, Clint could see that she didn't have a smile on her face. Clint kept his eyes fixated firmly on Natasha Romanoff and awaited Coulson's order to release his arrow. A scream erupted from the streets. Natasha whipped around and, with a startled look on her face, began to run. Clint followed her, his arrow still at her back.

"Shoot her now Barton, we're going to loose her," Coulson ordered. But Clint didn't shoot. "Barton, shoot!" Coulson ordered again.

"Just wait," Clint said, watching Natasha. "I want to see what she does." Clint watched as Natasha ran through the busy streets of London and run in front of a double Decker bus. That's when Clint lost visual of Natasha. He had seen her go under the bus, and that was it. "Coulson, I don't think I need to use an arrow now," Clint said. He was going to say more but clapping interrupted him. Looking down at the crowd, Clint saw Natasha emerge from the crowd, holding a baby girl in her arms. A woman, the baby's mother, let out a large sob and took the baby from Natasha's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much." The mother sobbed and hugged Natasha. "You saved my baby. I don't know what happened, I turned around and then the pram was on the road. Thank you so much!"

Clint was shocked. She was a criminal wanted by almost every government in the country; she was exiled from her own country and had a bounty on her head, yet she stopped and saved a child. What kind of criminal did that?

"Barton, do you have a clear shot?" Coulson demanded, obviously knowing that she wasn't dead. Clint replied he did. "Shoot her,"

Clint never killed anyone in cold blood, or someone who didn't deserve to die. And Natasha Romanoff didn't deserve to die. She had just saved a life that meant nothing to her, that didn't strike Clint as a cold-blooded killer. He placed his weapon on the roof's floor and smiled at Natasha. "With all due respect Coulson, I can't do that," Clint said.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think all the kings horses and all the kings men could bring that woman down." Clint replied. "How about I just bring her in? She could be an asset to SHIELD if she agreed." Clint bargained.

Coulson let out a sigh, "Fine, bring her in but she is going to be your responsibility." Coulson had learnt a long time ago that once Clint decided on something, no one could make him change his mind.

"Natasha Romanoff," Clint said, tapping her shoulder.

"Who wants to know?" Natasha said, turning around. She saw the bow slung around his body. "You were here to kill me weren't you?" She asked.

Clint nodded. "I was, but I didn't. Needless to say, my superiors aren't exactly happy with me. I struck them a bargain."

"A bargain? Involving my co-operation I assume." Wow, Clint thought, she was quick.

"I can do this with or without your cooperation but things will go much smoother if you just cooperate with me."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Barton?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I'm an assassin, I know everyone that was sent to kill me."

"Is that a threat Natasha?" Clint edged closer.

"I don't know, is it?" Natasha was teasing him now, Clint could see that. He wasn't going to let himself get distracted.

Clint edged a little closer. Natasha titled her head ever so slightly and Clint followed. He never could resist a good flirt. With their faces only inches away from one another's Clint took a hold of her wrist. This was it… Natasha closed her eyes and…

"Gotcha," Clint whispered into her ear.

Natasha opened her eyes and looked down. She was cuffed. Clint Barton, the archer, had outsmarted her. "Well, looks like someone's smart." Natasha commented as he led her away.

Clint smirked. "Coulson? I got her… The rumors don't do her justice… The Black Widow,"

On their way back to SHIELD headquarters, Natasha approached her captor and sat down next to her. "Why didn't you just kill me? I mean, you had a clear shot and you've never missed a shot before in your life."

"Because I've got enough red on my ledger Natasha, and I saw you save that child."

"I'm in debt to you. What will you have me do?"

Clint looked at Natasha and smiled. She smiled back. "I have no idea, whatever comes to mind."

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